The News
December 17, 2017
It’s Sunday. We’re back to give you our weekly recap of all of the events of the past seven days. The main event of the week came on Tuesday with the special senate election in Alabama, where Democratic nominee Doug Jones pulled off an upset victory over the scandal-plagued Republican candidate Roy Moore. Thanks to multiple sexual assault allegations made against Moore and higher turnout by African American voters, Jones was able to win convincingly in a traditionally conservative state.
Elsewhere, an attempted bombing in Times Square on Monday resulted in one major injury; late season wildfires continued to plague Southern California; the Trump administration issued a directive to the Center for Disease Control banning seven terms, including “science-based” and “evidence-based”; and Congress is on the cusp of passing legislation that drastically revises the tax code and contains $1.5 trillion in tax cuts over the next decade.
As always, good luck on the week ahead and thanks for reading the newsletter.
Cheers,
The Wonks Team
Politics and Public Policy
- The New York Times profiles the race to succeed Vladimir Putin as president of Russia in 2024 when term limit rules will prevent Putin from officially running again while noting the state of the Russian leadership and legacy of Putin in Russia.
- The San Francisco Chronicle reports on the death and legacy of San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee, the city’s first Asian-American mayor, who originally came to office as a temporary appointment for outgoing-mayor Gavin Newsom.
- The Washington Post investigates President Trump’s continued denial of Russian interference in the 2016 election and defense of Vladimir Putin, examining why intelligence officials failed to convince the president of foreign meddling and how this reality informs Trump’s worldview and interactions with other heads of state.
- Gizmodo reflects on the Federal Communication Commission’s vote to overturn net neutrality rules and responses by attorneys general at the state level in favor of preserving net neutrality.
- The Upshot analyzes the tax loopholes or accounting hacks in the Republican tax reform bill, which include tax breaks for selling artwork, sending children to private school, and the benefits of filing individual income as a pass-through business.
Business, Science, and Health
- Quartz Obsession explains the nostalgia economy, describing how companies market products towards younger consumers and the false premise of the past as promoted by nostalgia culture.
- The Atlantic speculates the carbon footprint of streaming porn and how it compares to the environmental costs of relying on physical items like DVDs or constantly running serves on streaming services like Netflix.
- NPR reports on the Walt Disney Co.’s $52.4 billion acquisition of 21st Century Fox and what the deal could signify for the film and television industry.
- Bloomberg News writes about the tastes and going prices of paintings at art galleries and how lesser-known artists can make a living without finding museums to feature their works, as well as the possible speculation bubble for paintings.
- The Ringer chronicles the development and eventual flop of the Juicero juicer, dissecting the reasons why the product failed and how it fits into a broader backlash against Silicon Valley’s attempt to innovate or “disrupt” personal eating habits.
Sports and Culture
- FiveThirtyEight outlines the statistical thresholds necessary for winning the Heisman Trophy and how these traits solely apply to quarterbacks and running backs.
- Gerrick Kennedy of The Los Angeles Times reflects on the legacy of NWA and their debut album “Straight Outta Compton,” noting how their lyrics presaged the rhetoric of the Black Lives Matters movement while simultaneously espousing misogyny and homophobia.
- The New York Times investigates the sexual assault allegations made by three women against Russell Simmons, the music mogul and co-founder of Run DMC, detailing how he derailed their careers in the process.
- Bill Barnwell of ESPN ranks the best probable coaching vacancies in the NFL heading into 2018 based on roster talent, upcoming draft picks, and players heading into free agency.
- Bleacher Report evaluates the most disappointing NFL players of the season, scouting deficiencies due to coaching schemes, injuries or regression for players at each position.
- Jonah Keri of CBS Sports assesses how the New York Yankees created a talented roster capable of attracting National League MVP Giancarlo Stanton after hitting a wall in 2012 due to an aging core and speculates how Stanton will impact the Yankee batting order.
